When Your CIO Quits Without Notice: The 72-Hour Stabilization Plan

CIO quit? You have 72 hours to stabilize before teams panic and customers notice.

## Hour 0-24: Prevent Immediate Chaos

- Secure all admin access and credentials
- Brief executive team and board
- Email to IT team acknowledging situation
- Identify critical systems and owners
- Review upcoming deadlines and commitments

## Hour 24-48: Establish Interim Leadership

- Appoint interim CIO (internal VP or external)
- One-on-ones with direct reports
- Review active projects and priorities
- Assess flight risk (who else might quit?)
- Communicate plan to broader organization

## Hour 48-72: Stabilize Operations

- Daily stand-ups with IT leadership
- Pause non-critical initiatives
- Focus on: Security, uptime, customer commitments
- Begin documenting systems and processes
- Plan 30/60/90 day roadmap

Real case: SaaS company CIO left during product launch. Interim CIO on-site within 48 hours. Result: On-time delivery, zero customer impact, 100% team retention.